Arsenal have been unlucky with few signings
When Unai Emery joined Arsenal in the summer of 2018, he was clear as to which positions the club needed strengthening.
Five additions were made under his watch in the form of Lucas Torreira, Matteo Guendouzi, Stephen Lichtsteiner, Bernd Leno and Sokratis Papastathopoulos. All the signings gave one indication: improvement in defense.
While the Gunners defense hardly looked any better than the previous season’s, Guendouzi and Torreira were the ones who attracted a lot of eyeballs. The pair’s impressive on-pitch performances were echoed in their market value, as it increased to a whopping £95 million combined, according to Transfermarkt.
Everybody hailed them as coups and Arsenal received a lot of plaudits for their recruitment. However, three years down the line they are desperate to sell them. With the reports that are doing the rounds, both are available for around a meagre £15 million each.
Many supporters argue that the Arsenal board should show more ruthlessness and sell them for a higher fee. But, as has been the case a number of times, the Gunners don’t have the power in their hand.
While the Uruguayan has two years left on his current deal, Torreira has already revealed publicly that he wants to leave England. That is a situation a club never wishes to be in.
It would have been music to the ears of the player’s suitors, who now know that the 25-year-old does not see Arsenal as his future. And that means his market value will plummet.
The North London outfit could not have foreseen it. Parallels can be drawn with Guendouzi’s scenario. The young midfielder attracted a lot of attention in his first two years in London, but that seems to have cooled down.
The Frenchman has had rows with his Lorient, Arsenal and more recently his Hertha Berlin manager.
“It’s like puberty for him, he’s kind of a rebel. He has to work and learn like an animal.” That’s what Pal Dardai told Bild about Guendouzi in February. Clubs never want bad apples in their squad because managers know that even a single player is enough to contaminate a healthy squad.
Marseille have shown the most interest in the 21-year-old, which now appears to be Guendouzi’s likely destination.
Although Arsenal might not make a profit on the duo, they cannot be criticized for the recruitment. Guendouzi and Torreira still have massive potential and a big future.
But it looks like it will not be at Arsenal, as many would have hoped for.